Galway School 2015Child Rights in Practice and Research: Realising children's rights through empowering parents and families

Organised by Eurochild, UNESCO Chairs Global Network, the Council of Europe and UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti, the first edition of the Galway School will focus on family and parenting support in the context of realising children's rights, improving child well-being, alleviating child poverty and protecting children from violence including corporal punishment.

Professor Lynn McDonald, Professor of Social Work at Middlesex University, will present on the first day of the conference in a workshop entitled 'Public investment: How to make the economic case for child-centred family and parenting support?'

About the conference

Tuesday 1 December

Welcome and introductions

Wednesday 2 December

Workshop 1 'Public investment: How to make the economic case for child-centred family and parenting support?' - led by Maria HerczogSpeakers include: Maria Herczog, Eurochild; Andy Bilson, University of Central Lancashire; Lynn McDonald, Middlesex University London; delegates from The Netherlands, Greece, France and Estonia.

Workshop 2'Integrated practice: How to get the best outcomes for children through integrating transfers and services in family and parenting support?' - led by Jasmina Byrne Speakers include: Jasmina Byrne, UNICEF Office of Research, Innocenti; Armando Barrientos, Professor and Research Director, Brooks World Poverty Institute, University of Manchester; Maria Gheorghiu, OvidiuRo; Wolfgang Stuppert, Consultant; delegates from Poland, Wales, Serbia and Slovakia

Thursday 3 December

Workshop 3'Evaluation methods: How to implement a pluralistic and rights-based approach in evaluating family and parenting support and make use of evaluations for advocacy purposes' - led by Pat DolanSpeakers include: Pat Dolan, UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre; John Canavan, UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, School of Political Science and Sociology, NUI Galway; Julie Belanger, RAND Europe; Ninoslava Pecnic, Department of Social Work, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb; delegates from Finland and Ireland

Workshop 4'Best interest of the child: How to ensure respect for children's rights in family and parenting interventions targeted at children and families at risk?' - led by Agnes von Maravic Speakers include: Agnes von Maravic, Council of Europe; Lucia Gimenez Garcia, University of Sevilla; David Astiz Calatayud, Kamira; Nevenka Zegarac, University of Belgrade; delegates from Italy, Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania